The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign running from November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women, to December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights. The 16 Days Campaign has been used as an organising strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence (GBV). This issue of The Soul Beat highlights media and communication related to GBV, focusing on involving men, culture and religion, the link betweeen GBV and HIV/AIDS, conflict-related GBV, and communicating prevention.

If you would like your organisation's communication work or research and resource documents to be featured on the Soul Beat Africa website and in The Soul Beat newsletters, please contact soulbeat@comminit.com

1. "Vrai Djo" ("Real Man") PSA Campaign - Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)This behaviour communication change (BCC) campaign uses public service announcements (PSAs) and radio to engage men as positive actors in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Asking "Est-il un vrai djo?" (Is he a real man?), the campaign promotes positive male role models. Developed by Search for Common Ground (SFCG), it is based on the idea that society presents many opportunities for men - as fathers, boyfriends, employers, or husbands - to treat a woman badly or with respect. Vrai Djo seeks to encourage dialogue around what these opportunities are, as well as on the role of men in Congolese society.

2. True Manhood Campaign - UgandaLaunched in June 2009, the True Manhood Campaign is an initiative of Young Empowered and Healthy (YEAH) in collaboration with the Health Communication Partnership (HCP), which is designed to address alcohol use and abuse, violence against women (VAW), and transactional sex in relationships. The campaign is centred on a national contest to find a male role model and is complemented by radio, print, and interpersonal communication. The campaign is designed to empower young men with skills to be able to assess their personal risk of alcohol abuse and to commit to drinking responsibly or not at all, to solve conflict using non-violent means, and to be able to resist relationships where gifts, favours, or opportunities are exchanged for sex.

3. Engaging Boys and Men in Gender Transformation: The Group Education ManualFrom EngenderHealth's ACQUIRE project and Promundo, this educational manual was published in 2011 to support working with men to question non-equitable views about masculinity and develop more positive attitudes to prevent unhealthy behaviours. According to the introduction, "In many settings, men and boys may learn that being a 'real man' means being strong and aggressive and having multiple sexual partners. They may also be conditioned not to express their emotions and to use violence to resolve conflicts in order to maintain their "honor". Changing how we raise and view men and boys is not easy, but it is a necessary part of promoting healthier and more equitable communities."

5. EngagingMen.Net - GlobalLaunched in November 2010, EngagingMen.Net is an interactive website for people around the world committed to gender justice and ending violence against women. It is designed for practitioners, policymakers, academics, and all who are interested in working with women and men in partnership for gender equality and addressing the negative consequences of unequal power relationships. The website has a theoretical focus on men, gender, and masculinities, and a practical focus on initiatives that encourage boys' and men's involvement and support of women's empowerment, ending violence, and work towards healthy relationships for all. The site includes a library of resources, news and upcoming events, discussion forums, photos and videos, etc.

6.Advancing Gender Equality through Community Radio - South AfricaLaunched in 2010 by Sonke Gender Justice in South Africa, the Advancing Gender Equality through Community Radio project is designed to use community radio to promote the ideas of its flagship One Man Can (OMC) programme. Started in April, the radio project is part of Sonke's Communication for Social Change strategy. The project involves 12 community radio stations around South Africa, and works to use broadcasting as a means to increase the involvement of men and boys in preventing HIV transmission and gender-based violence, and in promoting gender equality.

The Center for Women's Global Leadership's 2011 16 Days Take Action Kit is available for download. This year's theme, "From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World", seeks to highlight the connections between violence against women and militarism at all levels - from the domestic sphere to conflict. It also emphasises that peaceful, non-violent actions and attitudes "at home" can extend outward and influence peace in the world.To access this toolkit click here.

7. The Role of Traditional Leadership Preventing Violence Against WomenThis fact sheet, published by the Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Services (SAfAIDS) in 2010, outlines how traditional leaders and traditional institutions can facilitate positive change in local communities working to address HIV and violence against women. The fact sheet states that despite undeniable evidence that shows the linkages between violence against women and HIV, traditional leaders’ potential to actively participate in HIV prevention activities and projects to eliminate violence against women remains untapped. It adds that as custodians of culture, traditional leaders have the influence to alter underlying values and beliefs that are detrimental to community members. Such values and beliefs include inequitable gender roles that lead to culturally sanctioned gender-based violence.

8. Silent No More: The Untapped Potential of the Church in Addressing Sexual ViolenceThis report, published by Tearfund in 2011, provides insights into how churches can respond constructively to the crisis of sexual violence, summarising findings from research commissioned by Tearfund to explore the current and potential role of the church within communities affected by sexual violence and conflict in Rwanda, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to the report, many churches have perpetuated a culture of silence around sexual violence, largely failing to respond to the crisis and possibly worsening the impact by reinforcing stigma and discrimination experienced by survivors. Yet the report argues that communities look to their churches for leadership, and thus churches have largely untapped potential to help prevent sexual violence and reduce its impact.

10. Addressing Violence against Women and HIV/AIDS: What Works?By Kristin Dunkle and Claudia García MorenoFrom the World Health Organization (WHO) and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), this publication describes an October 2009 meeting of a working group of expert researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, to review the current state of evidence and practice in developing and implementing interventions and strategies to address the intersections of VAW and HIV. The meeting, which was organised by the Department of Reproductive Health and Research (RHR) of WHO with funding from The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), aimed to make policy and programmatic recommendations for national and international HIV/AIDS programmes and develop an agenda for future programme development, evaluation, and research efforts. This report summarises the presentations, discussions, and recommendations from the consultation.

11. Force for Change Fatherhood Project - South AfricaInitiated in 2006, the Force for Change Fatherhood Project is designed to mobilise South African men to develop their capacity to be advocates and activists in efforts to eliminate violence against women and children, prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS, and promote health, care, and support to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). Implemented by Sonke Gender Justice in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Open Society Foundation, the municipalities of Nkandla and Mhlontlo, Siyakanyisa, Umtata Child Abuse Resource Center, Sizanani and the Nkandla HIV Network, this project focuses on two municipalities in the Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal provinces. Core activities include peer education training, training for young initiates, and community imbizos (meetings called by a community leader).

12. "Aunties" For Sexual Health and Non-Violence (New Edition)By Flavien Ndonko, Georgette Arrey Taku, Stuart Adams, and James BoothroydThis report, published by the German Health Practice Collection in 2010, looks at the Aunties' Project, first implemented in Cameroon in 2001 by the German-Cameroon Health and AIDS Programme. The programme is rooted in the Cameroonian tradition of a girl's auntie being her most trusted confidante, teacher, and counsellor on sexual matters. By mid-2010, the project had recruited more than 12,000 unwed young mothers who first became pregnant while in their teens, and had given them basic training in sexual and reproductive health. So trained, the young women became known as "Aunties" and formed local Aunties' associations, through which they support one another and also perform many of the functions that aunts traditionally performed. These new Aunties reach beyond their own families into their villages or urban neighbourhoods, providing young people with sex education in schools and counselling outside of schools.

13. Women's Crossroads - Darfur, Sudan, ChadLaunched in 2009, Women's Crossroads is a radio programme by Internews that seeks to address the information needs of women refugees from Darfur, Sudan, living in camps in eastern Chad. The programme, aired by Radio Sila 89.9 FM, focuses mainly on women's health and rights issues. As part of the project, wind-up radios were distributed to women who were put in charge in order to ensure that the whole community, especially women, have access to radio. The programmes not only cover issues of mistreatment and gender violence, but also share insights around women's initiatives and interests, such as income-generating activities or cooking tips.

14. Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: An Analytical Inventory of Peacekeeping PracticeThis report, published in June 2010, catalogues direct and indirect efforts to combat sexual violence during and in the wake of war. While the focus of this publication is on the practical methods by which military, police, and civilian peacekeepers can prevent sexual violence as a tactic of war, it is also part of a broader agenda to improve the capacities of peacekeepers to contribute to women's safety. Funded by the Australian Government's aid agency (AusAID), the inventory is a collaboration between the United Nations (UN) Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), under the auspices of an inter-agency network, UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action).

15. As If We Weren’t Human: Discrimination & Violence Against Women with Disabilities in Northern UgandaThis report, published in 2010 and based on research carried out by Human Rights Watch, describes frequent abuse and discrimination against women and girls with disabilities in Northern Uganda. It argues that women and girls with disabilities are not being afforded equal human rights and are not able to access public services or get basic provisions, both in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps or in their own communities. The report states that there is limited evidence of the government's efforts to respond to the needs of women with disabilities in the return, settlement, and relocation process.

16. Prevention of School-Related Gender-Based Violence - DRCFrom 2010 to 2012, this behaviour-change communication project is working to promote positive social and gender norms among school-aged children in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. School-based activities are being complimented by community media campaigns using radio, theatre and other communication channels. The project is being implemented by the Communication for Change (C-Change) initiative, which is being managed by FHI 360 with funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project, introduced in 31 schools and neighbouring communities in Katanga Province, is working to create a safe environment for students in schools. It is designed to challenge prevailing social norms that perpetuate school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) in the students' communities.

17. Say NO to Domestic Violence Project - MozmabiqueLaunched in 2010, the Say NO to Domestic Violence mass media project was developed and implemented by N'weti, a Mozambican non-governmental organisation working to promote social and behavioural change by combining mass media, social mobilisation, and advocacy. Supported by the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the project seeks to decrease domestic violence incidences and promote the recently passed national domestic violence bill through short films, documentaries, and radio magazines.

18. Gender Based Violence Prevention Network's Perspectives on Prevention Newsletter This tri-annual newsletter is designed to keep Gender Based Violence Prevention Network members updated on: network activities, current issues relating to GBV prevention, and the experiences and promising practices of other member organisations. It is written for activists and practitioners committed to preventing gender-based violence in the Horn, East, and Southern Africa.

Promote your Classifieds

The Communication Initiative's Market Place for International Development supports organisations and individuals in the network to market opportunities and services from which they will directly benefit. All other parts of The CI platforms are of course completely free and open. Please click below for Market Place processes and opportunities that could be of interest to you and your organisation ... or email Victoria Martin.